In Innocence
by Ehliena
Summary: The first time they met, a bond was formed and a promise was made. Obikin Pre-slash


" _Someday I will marry you."_

It was a child's promise. A child that knew nothing of the Jedi's way, knew nothing of the Code and all the trappings that being a member of the Order entailed.

It was a foolish promise.

Anakin didn't know it at the time. He had just left Tatooine aboard the Nubian Cruiser. He thought that Padme was an angel, ethereal in her beauty and grace, despite the plain clothes she had worn on the planet.

But it wasn't the pretty handmaiden that he proposed marriage to. It was the sombre Jedi Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi. At the first touch of their hands, Anakin just knew. Obi-Wan was his other half.

Sure as a child, he had no idea what had happened. All he knew was that when he touched Obi-Wan, something clicked inside of him. Something he was missing that he wasn't even aware of having before he touched the young Jedi.

"Someday I will marry you," Anakin blurted out, holding on to Obi-Wan's hand.

Obi-Wan gave Qui-Gon a worried look, to which the Jedi Master just smiled in reply. Obi-Wan tried to pry his hand from Anakin's but the boy would not let go.

He had just found completeness, why would he give it up.

But Obi-Wan was stronger than Anakin, and soon he had pulled his hand free. The Jedi made a hasty exit, citing that something needed his immediate attention. This left Anakin cold, bereft of the warmth that he felt from the man.

"Master Qui-Gon?" Anakin asked, turning back to the Jedi. "Why doesn't Obi-Wan like me?"

"Obi-Wan doesn't dislike you," Qui-Gon assured him. "He just doesn't know how to deal with children. He hasn't been around them since he himself was one."

"Hey!" Anakin complained as Qui-Gon reached over to ruffle his hair. "I'm not a kid! I'm already nine years old!"

"That you are Anakin," Qui-Gon said with a concerned look in his eye. "That you are."

* * *

Obi-Wan caught his breath as he escaped the little boy, Anakin. The proposal was a surprise, but even more surprising was the pull he had felt when they had shaken hands.

The boy was strong in the Force, as strong as Master Yoda, but without the control. His presence in the Force was bright, even now when there were several walls between them, Obi-Wan could see the boy. He was willing to bet that on Coruscant, Anakin's presence could drown out that of the other Jedi.

Obi-Wan couldn't help but wonder why the child wouldn't let go of him though. It was a universally-accepted fact that Obi-Wan and children just did not mix. That Anakin had held on disconcerted him.

Obi-Wan had to laugh though. The boy was clearly untrained and knew nothing of the Jedi and their ways. Marriage between the two of them was preposterous. The Jedi had no attachments.

He could rationalise all he wanted, but Obi-Wan knew that there was already a bond in place between the two of them, put there by Anakin himself, albeit unknowingly. The bond was so strong that it threatened to overwhelm Obi-Wan's training bond with Qui-Gon.

Obi-Wan breathed, concentrating on the Force. He set shields in place to block out most of the bond. But he let a little bit pass through.

If it could help the boy transition to life as a Jedi, surely it wouldn't hurt anyone?

* * *

As happy as Anakin was that he was going to train with Obi-Wan, he wouldn't have wanted it to happen if it meant that Master Qui-Gon had to die. Anakin liked Qui-Gon, and he knew that the older man liked him too. Obi-Wan was a mystery to Anakin, one that he would like to solve.

What had perplexed Anakin though, was how blasé Obi-Wan seemed to be about his Master's death. Anakin could tell that Obi-Wan was sad, he could feel it, not through the training bond that Obi-Wan had established, but through some other bond, one that Anakin felt was stronger than the training bond.

Obi-Wan was sad, but he didn't show it. Up until they returned to Coruscant after the funeral, Anakin thought that he was imagining the sadness. But on their first night home, Anakin couldn't sleep and he heard muffled sobs coming from Obi-Wan's room.

Anakin left his room with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and knocked.

"Master Obi-Wan?" he called out.

The sobs stopped and Anakin heard footsteps coming to the door. The door slid open and Obi-Wan bent down to address his newly acquired Padawan.

"What's the matter Padawan?" Obi-Wan asked, his voice rough. "Can't sleep?"

"No Sir," Anakin shook his head. He saw that Obi-Wan's eyes were red.

"That makes the two of us then," he admitted. "Come along."

He rose and led the way to the kitchenette that their room had. Anakin climbed and took a seat on the kitchen's breakfast nook and watched as Obi-Wan made them each a hot drink.

"Here," he said as he set down a mug in front of Anakin. "Careful, it's hot."

Anakin blew on the liquid. It smelled wonderful, but Anakin knew better than to believe that smell equated to taste. The shampoo in the 'fresher taught him that lesson.

He took a tentative sip. The drink was hot, but it was sweet. A kind of sweetness that Anakin had never before tasted. He blew on the drink more, just so he could drink it faster.

"Good?" Obi-Wan smiled.

"Yes," Anakin nodded. "What is it?"

"It's called chocolate," Obi-Wan explained. "Queen Amidala saw fit to gift us with this type. Something about children and comfort food."

"There are types?" Anakin's eyes widened. To think that there were different varieties of the wonderful drink in front of him.

"I suppose it depends on where the chocolate was made," Obi-Wan said. "Different places have different recipes and some places don't have it at all."

"Tatooine doesn't," Anakin said.

"Then we should send the Queen a thank you note for this," Obi-Wan remarked. "When you're done you should brush your teeth."

Anakin nodded, not really listening. He had heard many things growing up on Tatooine. One thing that stuck though was that he should marry someone who could cook.

Anakin stared at the cup in front of him, wondering if making hot chocolate could be considered cooking. He decided that it did.

He really was going to marry Obi-Wan when he got older.

When he was done with his drink, Obi-Wan walked him over to the 'fresher to clean his teeth. He would have scowled, but the toothpaste made his mouth feel all tingly and he liked it. As they stopped in front of his room he turned to face Obi-Wan.

"Can I sleep with you?"

* * *

Obi-Wan looked down at Anakin as he processed the question. On one hand, he could understand the boy's need for a familiar presence, sleeping in a new room alone was an intimidating thing for a child. On the other hand, he shouldn't let Anakin get attached.

 _Begin as you mean to go on._

That had been Master Windu's advice to him when the Council granted him permission to train Anakin. Allowing Anakin to sleep in his room on the first day might set a bad precedence.

Then again, Obi-Wan wasn't comfortable in his new room either.

"Come along."

It was only one night. What was the worst that could happen?

* * *

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day everybody.


End file.
